Mask
by pixie-kura
Summary: *leopika* Now that Kuroro is gone, a new leader emerges amongst the Spiders. Leorio disappeared to somewhere, but Kurapika, Gon and Killua are ready...but how can they fight a friend?
1. Default Chapter

Mask  
He can't believe what's happening, the person he cared for destroyed his entire future. Life that he worked so hard to be normal was just taken away in a click of a finger, just like that. He gaped unreadingly at the golden-haired boy, weariness traced upon beautiful face.   
  
He'd been so persistent when he told him not to kill the leader, he even warned him that he's next if he took the man's life. Had he not been so serious when he told him that? Yeah right, he did not kill him, but banishing him form the Spider made no difference at all: dead or alive.   
  
Now he has face to his past, his promise and the truth of his destiny. Leorio couldn't help but groan, then the young Kuruta slowly lost his consciousness....  
  
He watched him steadily breathing on his own bed; the golden-haired boy seems to be at peace, almost too tranquil for a hard life he just decided to end. He gaze thoughtfully at his serene face, and then shook his head in disappointment when it dawned upon him his present situation.  
  
Gon and Killua were forthwith resting too at their own quarter. Senritsu went back to her own hotel, and only he was wide awake after the interesting night they had. Weariness can't find its way on him, his mind was too pre-occupied -- one of them just called and this time there's no running . . .  
  
He slowly smoothened a lock of golden hair falling upon Kurapika's forehead then stared at it for the longest time; this is his last chance to do so.  
  
He forced himself to stand and walk out of the cubicle, he went straight to the bathroom and coerced his decree.  
  
***   
  
He took one more look at his friends, peeping at them ever so carefully so as not to wake them up, and with more struggle he screeched down the hotel and became what he really was, is and will.   
  
He descended on the shadowy alley under the morning light. He stared back at his reflection on the rainwater that manages to make a pool out of the meager liquid. He was wearing a dark denim jacket, beneath, a forest green shirt, and a pair of black jeans. His usual slicked hair was tousled, some strands falling upon his forehead. His brown eyes were frigid cold and there was not a trace of smile on his mouth. He asserted his right upper arm, trailing the mark of a small spider he carefully has concealed with his medicinal ability – he smirked.  
  
It's been years since he left the Spider's life, he did not wish to end lives but to prolong it. His bestfriend went with him too but to his appall, he died on their journey.   
  
  
Kuroro was - is - his distant cousin, the only family he has yet he hated him. But the responsibility of the group lies in their hands. He contests to that, giving the whole obligation to his eldest cousin, which the latter accepted. Though he has been free, his dues do not stop there. He would replace him the moment a situation like the contemporary happened. The rules were good for his temporary banishment – until now, he was a stranger to them, a complete stranger to the group. They would act as though he is just an ordinary man outside the world of the Genei Ryodan and he would be forced to lack his capability in handling his perfected nen - Houshutsu.  
  
  
He would be just an average low profile Hunter, weak and content. But now, all things went astray. He was happy though he's not into his best competence – quiescent.  
  
  
He dodged his way toward the dark crumbling place, and dabbing the upturned cross in his chest, he met the rest of the Spiders.  
  
***  
  
They all stared at him, waiting. He scans them carefully, 3 members lacking. None uttered a word, they knew what kind of a dominator he was; unfriendly and distant yet loyal and trustworthy. He knew some of them were new -like Shizuku- and he could feel their awkwardness and leeriness. But he heed not what they're thinking, he's the head master now, and whether they like it or not they would listen to him – or die.  
  
"First, new rules and second, new members" he casually begins, and then made his way at the middle of the room, waiting for their reaction. The old-time members nodded, some quandar, he felt his impatient fist clench.  
  
"Did you hear me?" he asked coolly, but his eyes betrayed him. Machi answered loudly "They still new in regards with your existence, Leorio-sama, I'll give them a brief information… just be patient"  
  
He sneered. "Five minutes Machi, I don't want to waste my time, I think you already know that, am I right?"  
  
"Yes Leader!"  
  
***  
  
Standard disclaimers applied. The prologue and idea of this story is by pixie-atme and is purely a fan's work - a few 'certain' elements not true in the real series. 


	2. Chapter 1

Mask  
Chapter 1  
  
Senritsu entered the room quietly, sitting on the couch that lined one wall of the small room. Neither of its two conscious occupants greeted her although Killua did acknowledge her presence with a simple side-glance. Gon seemed oblivious to his surroundings, both of his large brown eyes trained on the sleeping figure upon the bed. She sighed inaudibly. He wasn't really sleeping, he was unconscious, but the term seemed less alarming and more fitting for the untroubled look on his face.   
  
Closing her eyes, she leaned against the back of the couch and tried to relax. She didn't get much sleep last night, having spent most of it away worrying over Kurapika. Apparently, neither had her two friends. And by the heartbeats reaching her ears, they obviously have the same lines of thoughts as hers: What to do now? Where do we go? Will Kurapika be all right? When will he wake up?   
  
Though those anxieties are only of the immediate. The real predicament they are yet to face is how to keep their friend alive. Even if all of them are to flank him incessantly, it is not unlikely for something to happen to him, courtesy of the Genei Ryodan of course. It is even a wonder he has managed to live through the night. Normally the Spiders would not take to any delays or to any hesitations. With their leader gone, their own hatred towards the chain-user will only consume them and their next target would be…  
  
Senritsu bit on her lower lip to prevent herself from crying out. With tremendous willpower she forced the notion to a blank space at the back of her mind for further contemplation later and concentrated instead to finding out how the others are taking the situation, aside from distressing that is.   
  
Gon, though wearing his usual apple-green outfit, hasn't on his usual grin however. He was upset. The fact is most evident upon his eyes that naturally hold all the happiness in the world but are reflecting only sorrow now. Being upset and being worried, no matter how similar, are still two different things, and Senritsu is yet to figure out what made him the former. Albeit not a very hard task given that this is Gon, the kid who thinks too much of his friends for his own good. Something must be troubling him, something with no relation to the Genei Ryodan but with Kurapika himself.  
  
Killua, on the other hand, has managed to retain his seemingly indifferent ways toward other people's welfare. He looked cool and calm, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze unwavering. However, hearts cannot lie and Senritsu can hear the soft beating of circumspection emanating from the youth. Being an assassin, fear is habitually unknown to him, yet, whether he would want to admit it or not, standing as the strongest one of them now, consequently he would feel the need and the responsibility to be the one to watch over them and protect them.  
  
And speaking of watching over and protecting and such, where is the eldest of the group? Unless she is very much mistaken, someone significant is missing…  
  
***  
  
Machi sat in one corner of the abandoned building, talking with Shizuku, Bonorenolf and Coltopi, speaking in a hushed voice of what she knows of Leorio, this supposed new leader and cousin to Kuroro. Her voice didn't really carry very far, just within their small circle, but he heard him nonetheless from where he sat with his exceptionally keen sense of hearing, albeit he chose to remain apathetic to her words for they truly meant nothing to him. Beside him sat Phinx and Shalnark, filling him in on what has happened, both unaware that he knows already of most of what they are saying and at points even more. He half-listened to what they talk of, if only for the possibility of spotting any way to prevent his Spider from hunting down and finishing his former friends.  
  
Tuning out the two's voices completely, he inwardly laughed at himself mockingly. 'His Spider' and 'former friends', has he assumed the position of Leader so easily and at such a short span of time? Another laugh. They will never know, never learn who he really is if he can help it. They have never asked before what his whole name is, haven't they? Of course, that didn't mean anything since he really didn't carry the name of Rucilful, Kuroro being a relative in his mother side, but if they researched hard enough, they'll discover that he originally comes from Star City. Crap. Another small note they've never bothered to try and know, his hometown and origin. Luck has always been on his side though all of them think otherwise. He wonders what will become of Gon and Killua, if they'll ever attempt to track him down. And Kurapika…the thought of him being related to the people who have hurt his angel so much in the past has never failed to make him flinch. Gods, if the other knew that he's the-   
  
No, that's not right. He should no longer think of the flaxen boy, it would do neither of them good to do so. He holds responsibility of the Spiders now whether it suits him or not and his friends and love are nothing now but a part of the past, his memories of the illusion he so foolishly thought he can live in forever.  
  
He has to lead his true life now. He will have to forget them.  
  
...but the question is 'how'?  
  
***  
  
Kura: Uh, sorry for the lack of updates, guys. You can't kill me because I'm already dead. The reason behind all is I just got the first flame of my writing career and I'm still experiencing the side-effect which is to greatly doubt my skills. *sigh* I'm pathetic.  
  
Gomen nasai. I'm sure pixie-atme won't take lightly to me ranting here too. I'm focusing on Mask, Destiny's Game, and other leopika fics for the months of April and May by the way so be at peace, minna-san. My other works shall be put on hold for these and for you. ^^  
  
Standard Disclaimers Applied. You know who owns HxH and its characters. And of course the idea is by the wonderful pixie-atme. 


	3. Chapter 2

Mask  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Machi, I think that that is enough. You can discuss with them what little you know of my abilities later," Leorio called out to the amethyst-haired girl, his voice possessing authority and resonance that would have both surprised and bewildered those who thought they knew him. The young woman turned around to look at him as her little group disbanded, a small frown gracing her characteristically cool countenance as he caught her gaze. "Hn? Is there anything wrong?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. The frown on her lips deepened before she shook her head and looked away. Leorio watched her a moment longer before turning to assess the rest of the Spiders.  
  
"Leorio, what are we going to do now?" the sadistic Feitan asked from his position a few feet away, hands on his pockets and a close book on his lap with a horrendous picture of a man being mutilated on the cover.  
  
A small fire akin to irritation flashed deep within his cold brown eyes, before being hastily put out as he had been taught by his infinitely collected cousin. He was known for his impatience with being talked to casually by those who barely knew him, addressing him plainly by his first name possessing the chance of sending him in an outrage. Those in his past who dared to be noncompliant of his wish to be called differently had found themselves in a fight wherein they could not get out of alive. It was a trait of his considered both a weakness and strength, and only one person has ever survived his fury: Kurapika.  
  
Now the people before him will soon discover his intolerance of insubordination as well.  
  
"First and foremost," Leorio started, looking over all of them with a slight glare, "not one of you is to try and search for Kuroro under any circumstances. Should you meet up with him by chance, you are not to communicate with him by any means thinkable. Doing so will result to his instant death." At this, the three newest members audibly gasped. His left eye twitched involuntarily as he turned towards their general direction. They have not yet been told..? "Pakunoda has sacrificed herself only to make us aware of this fact. We should let Kuroro find a way out of this predicament himself. He will come back."  
  
"Leorio-sama-" Shizuku began, but was brusquely interrupted by the still enraged Nobunaga.  
  
"It's all that chain assassin's fault! Kurapika, I think, is his name, that suicidal fool! How dare he try and go against the Spiders! He's a…"  
  
Leorio leaned back with an indistinct sigh, hearing the samurai out, slightly amused and slightly annoyed with the names he christened Kurapika and his outrageous descriptions of the young man, nearly all the guy was anything but. Around him, the rest of the Spiders started becoming restless, roused by the samurai's words, each insult coming louder from him than the last. Though Leorio has known the group quite difficult to unsettle, they were pretty much disconcerted now. Across from him, Nobunaga has already drawn his katana, fingering its blade with a murderous glint in his eyes. Phinx has started cracking his knuckles in one corner, Machi's blue threads erratically hovering dangerously near him. The new girl, Shizuku, suddenly had a vacuum cleaner in hand, with razor-sharp teeth at its nozzle, both Franklin and Shalnark standing at her side, looking ready to kill. The other two new members, Coltopi and Bonorenolf, remained hard to read considering their physical attributes, but didn't look all that calm either. All things considered, the Spiders were thoroughly livid. Leorio inwardly smirked. He and the others didn't have even the slightest idea of managing to agitate them this much.   
  
"Do you all want to die soon?" Feitan coolly asked, shortly after Nobunaga finished his almost senseless prattle. All eyes shifted to him, the atmosphere changing ever so slightly. He glared back at all of them through his fringe of blue hair. "If we don't keep our cool, all of us will perish. Is this what the infamous Genei Ryodan has been reduced to? A group of simpletons with no self-control?"  
  
His statement quickly had its effect. The tension dispersed as if it was never there and soon everyone had reclaimed their detached dispositions, looking as bored and yet at the same time as alert as ever. Almost in unison, heads swerved towards Leorio's direction, waiting for the leader's next words.  
  
"I was wondering when all of you will wake up," he snapped, a bit of sarcasm in his voice. "From what Phinx and Shalnark informed me of, I can deduce that this chain-assassin possesses no chance against all of us together, but still, we are not aware of what tricks he may still have up his sleeve. I do not wish for anymore casualties amidst our group, and so your first order from me is not to go after both Kuroro and this Kurapika you speak of," he said calmly, eyeing Nobunaga in particular. The samurai didn't look at all pleased. "Defy my instruction and you die. Understand?"   
  
He watched with satisfaction as all of them nodded their heads, knowing better than to take his statement any other way less than seriously. "For now, I want to concentrate on finding new members. The Spider has lost three limbs and the head, it has been weakened considerably. Once we have recovered something akin to our former strength, we will then discuss the little nuisance that is the chain-assassin," he stated, silently wishing that Kuroro has managed to return before that time comes. Considering what he knew of Kurapika's abilities however, the probability of that happening is unbelievably infinitesimal. "I will leave it at that for the time being. We will meet again tomorrow at dusk. I have a lot to think over first before I can give you any definite directions. Dismissed."  
  
Like any other of their meetings before, the whole group vanished the next second, save for Leorio who remained sitting in the desolate building, wondering what the heck he is supposed to do now. A bitter smile appeared on his lips, very much unlike the ones he wore around his friends. From inside his jacket he took out an ancient-looking black video tape, and then flipped it over and over in his hands. "Have you found the answers yet, Kuroro? And you, Kurapika, have you satisfied your thirst now?"  
  
***  
  
A figure clad in black and white walked a road to the outskirts of Yorkshin City, the noon sun hanging high above him. In his tracks, he stopped, looking back the way he came as if seeing the events of the past few days reflected on the concrete pavement.   
  
Scarlet eyes set on a pale face framed by blonde hair glared back at him, one fist clenched on his lap adorned with chains. Until now he can feel the indescribable abhorrence emanating from the young man, Kurapika's very hatred almost agonizing. And then a short girl with a bald top and big front teeth standing next to him, possessing the keenest sense of hearing he has ever come to know of. Briefly, he pondered whether her ability was innate or was enhanced by her Nen, and if he could steal it should the latter be the case, before remembering that he no longer possesses his old power. His right hand clenched into a tight fist at the thought. Next, two young boys of their pre-teens, one with gravity-defying black hair and the other with a silver mane that somehow reminds him of the powerful opponents he had the privilege of fighting recently: the Zaoldyecks. And, lastly but most importantly, his cousin.  
  
He was pretty much certain his Spider has contacted Leorio by now, and that he has assumed the position of leader no matter how reluctant he may be. It bothers him some to know that his successor has been in league with the enemy, but he is in no position to change anything right now. He sighed, raked a hand through his now tousled black hair, and found reassurance in the fact that though Leorio might use his position to steer the Spider clear of his former friends' way, he will also use it to make sure no harm befalls the group. The guy hates fatalities.   
  
Kuroro Rucilful wound a roll of bandages around his forehead, took off his black coat and carried it a few inches off the ground with one hand, heading towards East where the pink-haired girl foretold the thing he has been searching for so long is.  
  
***  
  
Killua Zaoldyeck yawned as he stretched his arms above his head, eyes still focused solely on the figure that lay on the bed right in front of him. After hours of urging, Gon finally conceded to taking a break and went to sleep in their own room, while Senritsu went out to get supper for the three of them. Rain poured hard outside so it should probably take awhile for her to come back.  
  
So here he is, watching over the sleeping Kuruta, looking unruffled yet utterly disoriented inside. A part of him claimed concern for the beautiful young man helpless now in his state of unconsciousness, another part mulling over what is to happen to them in the near future, and yet another part considering what courses of action he should take.   
  
Still, all three combined couldn't rival the thing that most bothered him tonight. A single question: Where the hell is Leorio? He woke up early this morning to find Kurapika alone, and rushed to Leorio's room, to scold the other deaf for leaving their friend, when he discovered the room empty and with no trace of an occupant. Leorio had gone and so are his things. They may never see him again.  
  
When he told Gon about it almost an hour later, his best friend unsurprisingly became upset. He ran straight to Kurapika's room and sat next to the bed, venting his thoughts to the oblivious blond. He stopped shortly before Senritsu came, perhaps comforted or perhaps realizing how futile it was since Kurapika was still unconscious.  
  
Killua leaned over his flaxen friend and stared empathetically at his beautiful face. He knew how close Kurapika and Leorio had become, a relationship that was even more intimate than the friendship between him and Gon. What would happen should he wake up and not find the other beside him?  
  
He pulled away after brushing a stray lock of golden hair from Kurapika's face, closing his eyes momentarily. The next second, they shot open at the sound of a moan. He quickly glanced at the Kuruta who was shifting restlessly on his bed, beads of perspiration starting to form on his forehead. A nightmare..? Killua hastily bend over him and placed a hand on each of his shoulders, gently pushing him back and restraining his movements. After a few minutes Kurapika stopped struggling and, moments later, pale eyelids opened to reveal stark sapphires.  
  
***  
  
Standard disclaimers applied. The prologue and idea of this story is by pixie-atme and is purely a fan's work - a few 'certain' elements not true in the real series. 


	4. Chapter 3

Mask  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Leorio..?!  
  
His dream faded to black before he woke up moments later. Still, the picture of a somewhat younger Leorio standing at the center of a burning village he recognized as his ruined one remained in front of him, even after he has opened his eyes. He blinked and the image disappeared. Killua was looming over him with trepidation etched all over his features, the boy's small yet strong hands holding his previously shaking frame still.   
  
"Welcome back," the young Zaoldyeck murmured softly, releasing him and sitting back down. "…Did you have a nightmare?" he asked tentatively, reaching for a cold compress, and placing it on top of his friend's forehead.  
  
"No…" Kurapika muttered almost inaudibly, taking the damp cloth off of him and sitting up. He returned it to its place in the metal basin on top of his bedside table, before finding himself staring down at his pale hands. "It was a memory…" His eyes turned scarlet and the chains reappeared on his right one.   
  
He felt Killua cross his arms in front of him and lean back on his chair. "…Kuruta?" he inquired quietly.   
  
"Hai, the genocide," Kurapika replied quickly, feeling sick as blood-spattered episodes played over in his mind once more. A wave of nausea washed over him as he strived to push the memoirs to the back of his mind. "How long have I been unconscious?" he questioned, looking up at his silver-haired companion.  
  
"A day at most," he answered, looking outside at the night, twinkling stars scattered across the dark sky with the lady moon's borrowed luminosity outshining them all. Still, its light didn't remain unchallenged, dark clouds of the presently pouring rain hiding it once in a while. "You've been sleeping since last night."  
  
"Sou ka."  
  
"Senritsu went out for something to eat while Gon's down for a short nap," Killua added even before Kurapika had the chance to ask. Not that the golden-haired youth seems to have heard. He appeared lost in thoughts, cerulean eyes possessing a glazed-over look as if seeing something else more interesting instead of the empty air in front of him.  
  
"Saa…" he finally acknowledged, fortunately before the silence got to his younger friend, and fell back down on his bed. He couldn't exactly say why, but he suddenly felt totally drained, as if he had just ran a few miles or so. A weary hand came up to wipe the sweat off his brow, the chains on it disappearing again before he could accomplish the task.  
  
…Kurapika, have you satisfied your thirst now?  
  
The voice came, gravely familiar yet he had a hard time determining whose. The throbbing pain bore further into his mind, preventing him to think about it any longer, so he instead shifted his attention to the enigma's question: Has he satisfied his thirst?   
  
He truly didn't know the answer. He doesn't feel happiness and nor does he feel contentment. If anything, the sense of cold and danger that has always surrounded him ever since the death of his whole tribe seems to have gotten worse a trifle now, his instincts screaming at him that something was definitely wrong. Though he has set his mind on the thought of ridding the head will kill the entire Spider, he gets the peculiar impression that something is amiss, like he has forgotten to do something imperative.  
  
Of course, he didn't trust the Genei Ryodan danchou not to have devised a back-up plan if something like last night's events occurred. Surely a tactician like him wouldn't have been so foolishly insolent as to have overlooked the possibility of being spirited away from his beloved Spider? And yet they have been given a full day and still no one has come to slit his throat open.  
  
A bitter smile appeared on his lips as he stared up at the ceiling. Maybe they're planning something much more painful for him. After all, not only had he killed one of them but he has also taken their leader away.  
  
And with that sweet little cheering thought, he closed his eyes again, overlooking the lack in presence of his best friend, as Killua stepped out of the room to wake Gon up.  
  
***  
  
Machi leaned against the wall of one of the fifty copies of their hideout, unmindful of the slight drizzle that was a raging storm a few hours earlier. Her hair remained unbound, cascading down her shoulders with small droplets of water that glinted like jewels in the faint light. She looked up at the dark sky, a small smile on her lips. Harsh solace, some might think, but it's comforting to know that danchou, wherever he may be, is still under the same dark sky as she is.  
  
She shook her head at the too-schmaltzy thought, must have watched too many of those sappy movies yesterday for her own good - out of boredom.   
  
Still, being bored to tears downtown with only Shizuku to keep her company as she flipped through every channel the wide-screen TV in the hotel room the two of them shared has to offer is far better than the tension and anxiety that has kept them busy these last few days. Nevertheless, by midnight she was restive with pent-up energy and apprehension that she left the room, with her young friend sleeping soundly on the couch, and found herself where she is right now a little over half an hour later.   
  
After Pakunoda died, the six senior members of the Genei Ryodan remained silent, finally aware of what their self-sacrificing comrade has been through for the last hours and the state their danchou has been forced to be in. She was first to make a sound, suggesting that they call the 'alternate Spider number one'. The others promptly started voicing out their qualms, most pointing out that they didn't even have a single clue to where Kuroro's cousin might be. She, however, knew better, knowing that Leorio was currently staying within Yorkshin City, having seen him in the hotel the whole group met up the night Kuroro was captured by the chain-assassin.   
  
She almost smirked at the memory. He appeared as a loud, arrogant jerk, yelling not only at the one he was speaking to over the phone, but at everyone else at the hotel's lobby too. A good actor, she mused, no one would have thought they knew each other. Had Kuroro not restrained Shizuku, she would have attacked head on who she didn't know would be her future leader. Machi was slightly amused when the young girl didn't recognize Leorio when he came to their hideout yesterday morning, but only slightly. One can't exactly say that the Deme-chan wielder possessed the most retentive memory in the world.   
  
Along this line of thought, something inside her woke up suddenly, and she dodged a blow someone from behind launched almost on pure instinct. She landed a few feet away, looking up to see Coltopi staring back at her with one large visible eye amidst the mass of messy blue hair. The moment their eyes met she saw the other visibly relax, both hands retreating back to the pockets of the long white coat.  
  
"It's just you."  
  
"Yeah, sorry if I alarmed you or something," Machi answered, slightly feeling guilty. She knew Coltopi guards their hideout 24/7, discerning instantly any presence that should come near the copies. "I shouldn't have bothered you. I shouldn't be here," she added though keeping her voice carefully callous.  
  
Coltopi shrugged. "You're not the only one."  
  
"What exactly do you mean?" she asked, instantly alert. "The enemy's here?"  
  
"No. It's Nobunaga. He came back, said something about seeing the new leader…probably about the new members," Coltopi answered, and left.  
  
Machi huffed, walking off towards the single abandoned building that is real and not made of Nen. So the samurai still hasn't given up yet, has he? When will he get it through his thick skull that the two boys he wants to join them and keeps on ranting about will sooner die than join the Spiders? And furthermore…  
  
***  
  
Is he serious?  
  
Leorio looked blankly at the man before him, trying hard not to let his thoughts wander off as Nobunaga paced back and forth, telling him all the details of the Genei Ryodan's encounters with a couple of strong brats he wants to recommend as new members of the group. Nothing much really registered, but one sentence of sense seems to repeat itself over and over in his head: This guy's talking about Gon and Killua!  
  
"They've got potential, Leader, and with the proper training, the smaller one, the one with the Strengthening Nen type, would be just like Ubogin!"  
  
I sure hope not, Leorio thought, cautious not to let any emotions play itself across his face. He's talking about Gon. He's dead-serious. The young man's mind raced, frantically trying to think of any way to put a stop to the samurai's absurd intentions. He might not be as good as a tactician as his cousin, or as clever and wise as his best friend -former best friend- but he has to come up with something. Being a cold bastard is one thing, but to turn his two young friends into cold bastards too would really drive Kurapika towards killing him.   
  
Not that the blonde would hesitate to end his life once he discovers everything he has accomplished in the past.  
  
"They do sound interesting, but from what you've told me I can only say that they will never agree to joining us," Leorio answered slowly, keeping his voice void of any emotions that may lead him into a fix, hoping that the samurai would just take his words and give up the idea.  
  
No such luck.  
  
Nobunaga burst out laughing, silenced only moments later with a cold look from his Leader. "Gomen nasai, Leorio. It's just that those were Kuroro's exact words when I told him about it. And I answered him it won't matter, that I'll find some way to get those two to join us."   
  
And what way is that? Torture, blackmail, something not so nice for sure. No way am I letting him lay even a single finger on them.  
  
Something inside him clicked, he could practically see a bulb light up behind his head like in those cartoons with two-dimensional figures suddenly struck by sudden brilliance. That's it.  
  
"And when did you tell him that? I presume before the Spider found out that the two young ones are the chain assassin's comrades?" he asked testily with a slight sneer. The smile on Nobunaga's face turned upside-down into a frown, his gloating completely dissolving into nothing. "Nobunaga, they are in league with the chain assassin, do you understand that? I am not taking any chances!"  
  
He's silent, but he's not going to relent this easily…  
  
"He might be like Ubogin, but he is not Ubogin! Ubogin is dead, let him rest," Leorio said and the moment the words left his lips, he knew he has gone a bit too far. Nobunaga glared at him before leaving with no words, passing Machi without even glancing at her.  
  
"Did you manage to tack him down?" Leorio asked, not needing any answer at all. He saw the fast move Machi pulled, the way she stuck one of her needles into the leather sheath of Nobunaga's sword.   
  
"He's obstinate and simple-minded like his best friend. This is not the end of this, you know," Machi told him, ignoring the question, arms crossing in front of her.  
  
"I know."  
  
***  
  
Standard disclaimers applied. The prologue and idea of this story is by pixie-atme and is purely a fan's work - a few 'certain' elements not true in the real series. 


	5. Chpater 4

Mask  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Kurapika!"  
  
Gon turned around on his seat to glance behind him at the sound of Killua's surprised shout, spotting his older friend almost instantly. A grin broke into his face at the sight of the flaxen-haired youth, walking across their hotel's small café towards their table with a certain music hunter beside him. Senritsu, though, didn't look all that pleased as she kept him from stumbling forward, a rare feat for the usually graceful Kuruta.  
  
"You shouldn't be up yet, you still need rest," Killua scolded him, speaking both his and the girl's minds, as he pulled out chairs for the two. Arching a silver brow as Kurapika dropped heavily into his seat, already looking exhausted after the short trip from his room upstairs, he turned to Senritsu and tilted his head questioningly. She just shrugged back.  
  
"I'm fine," he replied, taking the menu from the waitress who, in any angle you might look at it from, was blatantly flirting with him. He hardly noticed. Allowing his eyes to travel down the list, he realized that he might just be emptying the contents of his stomach some time soon as another wave of nausea washed over him. Deciding on a cup of coffee to at least get rid of the taste of bile from his mouth, he gave her his order without anything so much as a glance, the starry-eyed redhead stomped off with her lips in a pout.   
  
"Is that all you're going to have for breakfast, Kurapika?" Gon asked anxiously, staring at him with an upset look on his face. He tried to appease his dark-haired friend with a rare smile from him, but what came instead resembled more of a grimace, and the dark-haired lad, being stubborn as always, shook his head in protest.  
  
"I'll just throw up anything I dare try to hold, Gon," he explained rather dryly, taking in a deep breath and promptly had a coughing fit after it. Killua moved his chair a little to be able to help his friend, rubbing his back as he exchanged a worried look with Senritsu – 'Is he sick?', she just gave a slight shake of her head – 'You know he is', whilst Gon focused all his attention on the blonde who was still having a hard time to breathe.  
  
"Thank you, Killua," Kurapika said after awhile and he has managed to stop, a bit embarrassed. Just then the same waitress from before came with his coffee, not doing anything to stop her annoyance from showing as she frowned down at him. He blinked, then flashed a smile at her, polite and meaningless but charming nonetheless. The poor girl blushed furiously and did a quick little bow, retreating quickly to the backroom with her small metal tray in hand. Moments later, the sound of two young female adolescents giggling reached their sharp ears. He sighed with a small amount of irritation, it was far better than being mistaken as one of their gender though.  
  
"Ne, I think Killua was right, you still need rest, Kurapika," Gon told him with a scolding undertone to his words which was rather amusing to hear, eyes wide and still fixed on him. The cerulean-eyed youth calmly drank his coffee in response. Truly the obstinate youngster he is, Gon refused to quit even if his words were met only by indifference.   
  
Kurapika sighed again, but this time with exasperation. Before he could even open his mouth to speak though, he was out of his seat and running towards the elevators in a flash. Exchanging brief glances, Killua took out some change from his pocket and left it on top of the table, joining Senritsu and Gon as they followed the Kuruta, to his room, the child assassin supposed.  
  
***  
  
Unknown to all four of them, they were being spied not only by one, but two entities. People they knew and were not exactly who they would call friends. These two observed them separately, possessing different motives for doing so, both oblivious of the presence of the other as well, too absorbed were they in the events on the small table they watched and listened to.   
  
A few tables away from them sat the first one, the keenest of senses allowed him to know too clearly what happened among the four. A small frown appeared on his lips as he raised his cup of coffee towards them, his eyes glinting concern as he slowly drank the scalding dark liquid. His best friend, no, former best friend was already up and around but obviously too sick to be doing so. He should know better and rest his body more but, being the suicidal freak he is, a direct quote from one of his subordinates but used in an entirely different perspective do note, and another stubborn one, he not surprisingly refuses to do so, as it is his character. He sighed indistinctly as the cup parted with his lips, still looking at the table where his friends had been sitting around awhile ago.  
  
This person was, of course, Leorio. No matter what he tried he couldn't get them out of his head so that he could properly think of what to say to the Spiders in the meeting that is going to take place that evening. Theorizing seeing them one more time might give him peace of mind, he went to the place he knew he would find them, only to discover a troubling development and get disturbed more than he already is.  
  
He took another sip of his coffee, letting his thoughts wander off and relaxing a bit as he reasoned out to the uptight side of him that Kurapika and the others have left already and there is but little chance of them suddenly reappearing to find him there. It took a few more minutes of convincing and self-debates before the cautious part of him finally gave in and allowed his body to unwind a bit.  
  
The other one who had been watching was more serious about this and had but a more questionable cause than Leorio. His dark eyes glinted different emotions through the whole affair, depending on which person among the four he fixed his gaze on. He walked away once sure that they were not coming back, planning what moves he is to make to gain his targets and achieve his objectives.  
  
***  
  
Maybe opting not to eat anything for breakfast isn't so clever after all, Kurapika thought miserably as another shake shot violently through his whole body, and with a pathetic sound that almost seemed like a young child's whine, he bent once again over the toilet bowl, feeling pain as he tried to empty his already empty stomach. He knew that Killua and Gon sat side by side on his bed looking at him, and he wanted nothing more than to shut the bathroom door to keep them from seeing his current state, but he couldn't find the enough strength to move over there and do so. Senritsu was on his side the moment he relaxed and sat back down on the tiled floor, holding a damp towel to clean his face and mouth, though nothing was there but sweat, as well as another one to keep him cool. After about five minutes, his body was once again attempting to throw up what has been never there in the first place.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Gon hopped down from the bed and darted for the door to the outside of the hotel room, Killua right on his heels. A few yards down the corridor and the latter managed to catch up, grabbing hold one of the other's arms.   
  
"Hey, Gon. Wait up, will you? Where's the hurry?" he asked, pulling both of them to a stop.  
  
"Leorio's room. He's a doctor, right? He'll know what to do with Kurapika," Gon explained animatedly, completely forgetting that his older friend has been missing since yesterday morning. Slowly and quietly Killua reminds him, diverting his gaze away from his friend's face once done to avoid seeing the unmasked pain he knew will take over his best friend's features.  
  
"Demo…" Gon whimpered.  
  
"Let's go back," he said, turning around to walk back to Kurapika's room, hearing the other's reluctant footsteps following him. He sighed, raking a hand through his now disheveled hair, and fished out his cell phone from the inside pocket of his light blue jacket. Hitting a few keys, he returned it and faced Gon, flashing him a reassuring smile.  
  
"Killua, what was…?" Gon started to ask.  
  
"I just text-ed (?) Leorio Kurapika's condition," Killua answered him even before he got the whole question out, shrugging his shoulders. "You know how he is. He'll be here in a jiff if he finds out Kurapika's ill." He grinned.  
  
Gon grinned back, nodding his head. "Yeah."  
  
***  
  
**** Leorio, where the hell are you? Kurapika's sick and Gon's worried sick over the two of you. Get back here. Killua. ***  
  
Leorio sighed deeply as he pocketed the mobile phone without replying, pressing one of his hands against his right temple in an attempt to soothe his nerves. Seconds later, he removed it with a jerk, pulling out his cell again to erase the message for practical reasons, looking around him to see if anyone has decided to come early.   
  
"Shizuku?" he asked silently, recognizing the dark silhouette amidst the shadows. The young girl gave a small yelp of surprise when she heard her name called. "What are you doing there?"  
  
She stepped into the light of the moon sheepishly, staring back at Leorio with her usual innocent countenance. With wide dark eyes framed by spectacles, she murmured something rather incomprehensible with its softness, then cleared her throat and tried again.  
  
"I was looking for Machi. She's not here, is she?"  
  
"Ah, no, she's not. At least, not at the moment," Leorio replied. Leaning forward, he fixed on her a serious gaze and asked, "Shizuku, may I ask you a question?"   
  
"Of course, Leorio-sama."  
  
"What do you think of me as you're new leader?"  
  
"I, well, I…" She stammered, looking unsure of what to say. She was looking down on the abandoned building's floor as if searching it for answers when she suddenly looked up, looked at him for a second then blinked, flinching momentarily before saying, "Leorio-sama, you were the one we saw at the hotel's lobby the other day, weren't you? The pissed-off guy with the cell phone and reading newspaper?"  
  
"The one you asked permission from Kuroro to beat up?" Leorio inquired with a hint of amusement in his voice, watching as the girl wince again.   
  
"Go-gomen nasai, Leorio-sama," she stuttered.  
  
"Daijobu, Shizuku. You didn't know," Leorio reassured her, raising a hand to calm her down. "Though it impresses me that you remember. I recall someone mentioning you have a sort of forgetfulness to most things?" Shizuku remained silent, a blush making itself appear across her cheeks. "I think it was Shalnark who told me that." And she turned even more scarlet.  
  
Interesting, Leorio thought, momentarily forgetting his personal worries.  
  
"I think many things have changed with the Spiders in the few years I've been gone. Would you mind keeping me company and refresh my knowledge, Shizuku?" he asked politely.  
  
"Iie."  
  
***  
  
Standard disclaimers applied. The prologue and idea of this story is by pixie-atme and is purely a fan's work - a few 'certain' elements not true in the real series.  
  
Okay, sorry. I've been spacing out a LOT. I've worked on a couple of chapters of Mask (as my guess you have seen) but have idiotically uploaded none of them. I'm really, really sorry, minna-san. I've just checked our mail today and, well, I guess you can make out what I saw in it: tons of reviews asking for updates. I feel like I've been hit in the head with a rock (go figure). I'm halfway in the next chap. but school's taking up my time.  
  
~x-tra note: I'm halfway as well with Chapter 2 of Only You, but I've uploaded the first chapter. Where is it? *wears her asbestos fire-proof armor* It's rated R. I'm not sure if leopika fans are *that* much into leopika fics to actually risk loosing their innocence (though I'm sure they have very little left) in reading that fic... 


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